PHOENIX — Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a Democrat-turned-independent presidential candidate, held a campaign rally in Phoenix Wednesday night.
He spoke to hundreds of voters at the Legends Event Center near 43rd Avenue and Camelback.
Some voters there said they're not satisfied with President Biden or former President Trump and want an alternative choice.
"I'm always looking for a left-of-center, intelligent candidate and he seems to be that," said Mariee Hayden of Phoenix. “Always pro-choice, but I'm interested to learn what he has to offer in general."
“I would like to just kind of see what Robert Kennedy's position is on a couple of things," Jakob Polgar of Montana who was visiting Phoenix for the holidays.
>> Download the 12News app for the latest local breaking news straight to your phone.
Others were intrigued by Kennedy because of his family's political legacy.
“I worked on his dad’s campaign. I was 14 at the time. Went door to door putting advertisements on the door," said Mark McCullers of Phoenix. "He’s got good ideas. He’s very much similar to what his dad and uncle stood for which is kind of lacking nowadays.”
Lisette Valenzuela of Phoenix said she doesn't align with the Democrat or Republican parties.
“I'm tired of having to choose between the lesser of two evils," Valenzuela said.
Kennedy believes he can win Arizona's independent voting bloc.
“They like the message to end the vitriol, to end the poison and the polarization and to start focusing on the values that we have in common," Kennedy said.
Kennedy is currently collecting signatures, vying for a spot on Arizona's ballot. He needs signatures from three percent of Arizona's registered voters by August of 2024.
Arizona's independent vote
According to Arizona Secretary of State data, more Arizonans are registered independents than Republicans or Democrats.
Thom Reilly, a professor at ASU's School of Public Affairs, said from summer through mid-November, 57 percent of all new registered voters were independent.
But Reilly notes the independent vote can be unpredictable and in previous elections, the majority has often flipped back and forth from Republican to Democrat.
“Just because someone identifies as unaffiliated, it doesn't mean they're going to support a third party candidate," Reilly said. "But taking them for granted, you know, the fact that they supported Democrats last time that they're going to do so this time, history has not shown that to be the case.”
ARIZONA POLITICS
Get the latest Arizona political news on our 12News YouTube playlist here.